Dirty Rotten Vipers
Tip The Band
*** out of *****
The New Orleans, LA based, 12 piece, gutter jazz, street band The Dirty Rotten Vipers deliver their debut album, Tip The Band with all of the energy and joy that makes them a blast to catch down on Royal St. and St. Peters in the French Quarter when they are busking.
The band, Will Harrington - Piano, Vocals, Johanna Rose - Bass, Vocals, Jimbo Lockhart, Buddy The Dog - Drums, Donald Palardy - Guitar, Miss Myra - Guitar, Vocals, Fitzgerald Palmer - Tenor Banjo, Gregory Moon Veals - Trombone, Efrem Towns E.T. - Trumpet, Ben Tuba Hillier - Tuba, Chris "Horchy" Horchler - Clarinet, Nathan Berry - Cornet, Meagan Gillis - Xylophone, Trombone, mix covers and originals on the breezy six song album.
The opening version of "The Stuff Is Here" sets the tone as the band layer all on top of each other in upbeat party fashion as the trad jazz flows like wine. The music bleeds and leaks all over to the point that it is hard to separate the instruments, however the group sound and vibe is enjoyable.
Originals like the drunkenly swaying "Blow Your Blues Away" and the murder ballad "Frenchman Street", complete with excellent guitar solo and yearning vocals from Rose, stand toe to toe with classic tunes. One of those, Irving Berlin's "Russian Lullaby" is a highlight offering as it starts stark with banjo but ebb's and flows with various solos, increasing horns, crazed vocals and xylophone that gives it a unique kick; it is the longest offering here and feels like it could keep rolling all night.
"16 Tons" fits the band well as the players, blow, shout and strum their way through the tune, while album closer "Hecate" uses Rose's raspy vocals and some excellent brass blowing to wrap up the fun, jaunty album.
Tip The Band is lo-fi jazz that sounds as if it was recorded traditional style, everyone around one microphone with soloists stepping forward when needed. The Dirty Rotten Vipers just get down and play for their meals and Tip The Band is a good way to relive that New Orleans street experience wherever you may be.
___________
No comments:
Post a Comment